Electric safety razor



Jan. 2l, 1941- A. F. WlNTERcoRN `E'r AL 2,229,159

ELECTRIC SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 14, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 1 A L d?" I, l WQ f /y 1 E 2 4 f? M 43 Jan. 2l, 1941. A. F. WINTERcoRN Erm.

ELECTRIC SAFETY RAZOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June '14, 1957 Patented Jan. 21, 1941 2,229,159

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SAFETY RAZOR Andrew F. Wintercorn, Rockford, and John B. Wintercorn, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 14, 1937, Serial No. 148,158 25 Claims. (Cl. 30-43) This invention relates to razors, and more parotherwise conventional safety razor and cooperticlarly a power operated safety razor designed ating with the cutting edges of the conventional for wet and dry shaving. replaceable blade held in substantially the con- We are aware of the sudden commercial sucventional relation to the guards. `cess of certain well known makes of electric Another feature is the provision of adjustable razors of the reciprocating cutter type, and that set screws in the head under the four. corners thus far there has been no successful competof the blade which permit finely adjusting the tive device having a rotary cutter, despite the two edges of the blade relative to the two rotary fact, at once apparent to those skilled in macutters to obtain good shearing action and perchine design, that a rotary action has several mit tightly clamping the blade without having 1g important fundamental advantages over the reit bear too heavily on the cutters and act as a ciprocatory action, such as continuous cutting, brake. I and usually less vibration, and consequently less Another important object of our invention is noise and less wear. It is apparently believed, to provide a simple and practical drive for the rightly or wrongly, that the reciprocatory type rotary cutters' whereby to obtain unusual com- 15 can be made to operate with greater safety than pactness, reduce power consumption to a minit-he rotary type. However, it can hardly be demum, avoid excessive heating due to friction, and nied that regardless of the number of reciproobtain smoother and quieter operation. A sincating cutter type razors that have been sold, gle helical pinion is provided, in accordance with many 0f these have been shelved by their ownour invention, centrally located in the head and 20 ers who have gOne back t0 using their 01d Safety meshed directly with the two helically grooved and Straight l'aZOlS 170 get the Clean, CIOS@ ShaVeS rotary cutters at their middles, thus reducing they were aCCllSiJOnled '60 and WhiCh they found the mechanism to the smallest possible number they couldnt get with .the new electric razors. of parts and making for a light Weight, Wen bal..

The Objection usually mentioned by these Per' anced device, and one which may be produced at sons is that the operation is toc slow and te- 10W Cost. (nous because the razor has to be Worked back Still another important object is to construct and forth and again and again over each area unas much of the device of die cast parts as postil all of the stubby hair has been entered into the sible to further reduce Weight and lower the ne Slots l the guard 01 head and cui Off- Naiu' cost ci production, and incidentally facilitate asrally, many users, accustomed to the speedler sembly and disassembly and make removal and Operation of their 01d s tyle razors are not pat replacement of worn cutters and pinlons a simt'llnt enoughto de tus and SIS a rsult the ple matter. In accordance with this object the s ailes are not. sans actors" any nd they body is made up of two interchangeable inter- Cant get a Satlsfactory close Shave n0.matter fitting die cast parts that are formed with halves 35 lgw hard they try' Then too many n omce tha of the pinion chamber therein and are formed e beard on the neck Where the hair doesnt to rovid com lementar halves of the inion stand out as elsewhere, is hard to work into shalt beaing 5nd these yare adapted to .Se as the Slots' Many also expenen dlmculty m sembled together encasing the pinion and shaftl 4o o lgtl-ghglegs lfpplzllifs; lvlvlldilsl: therebetween with the cutters meshed with the Then too, these other razors are limited to dry Opposite Sides th? pinion am? ttmg With their shaving, which many accustomed to shaving with end Journals m llgned bearmgs 0n the ends lather dol not find satisfactory. It is the prin- 0f the uard-p0rt19ns 0f the tWO hall/'escipal object of our invention to avoid these ob- The H Wentlon W111 be better ilndel'siioof @s Tef- J'ectiOnS by providing a truly safety vtype e1ecerence 1s made in the following descriptwn to tric razor, similar tothe ordinary safety razor tin@ aCCOmpanying drawings, in WhlCh-j and retaining its safety features, as well as its Figure 1 iS a front View 0f an electric Safety handiness and facility of operation, bunembodyrazor made in accordance with our invention;

ing power operated rotary cutters to permit Fia 2.iS a 130D View; 50 dry shaving or wet shaving, whichever is Fig. 3 is a side view with ajcportion thereof preferred. I broken away to reveal one of the blade adjusting A salient feature of the invention is the em- SCI'BWS; ployment of elongated rotary cuttersA disposed Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections on the cor'- longitudinall'y within the slotted guards of the respondingly numbered lines of Fig. 2;

'Ihe safety razor in connection with which we have disclosed our invention is of the well known Gillette type using double edged blades, but it must beunderstood that the invention should not be construed as limited in its application to this one particular type of safety razor, inasmuch as the rotary cutter and novel drive therefor may be employed in'connection with any safety razor blade, whether it be a single edged or double edged blade. Furthermore, while we at present prefer to utilize removable blades of the conventional safety razor type, because of the facility and economy with which the razors cutting edges may thus be replaced,it should be understood that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to such a construction, because a more or less permanent part may beprovided on the razor furnishing the cutting edge or edges cooperating with the rotary cutter or .cutters Furthermore, while we have shown in Figs. 1 'and 3 to 5 a pinion drive shaft in a slender handle, adapted for a flexible shaft drive similar to those employed in connection with dental drills, the invention is by no means to be construed as limited to such a drive, inasmuch as the handle may be provided by the motor for 40 driving the razor, as illustrated at 20 in Fig. 9, and in that case the device can be turned on and oi by turning a switch knob on the end of the motor housing. In other words, the present disclosure has been confined mainly to the improved razor head construction, inasmuch as there are any number of motive means available, and it would only unnecessarily encumber this disclosure to go into that phase.

The head 3 is made of two die-cast parts 9 50 and I0 which are alike and are therefore interchangeable, thusv greatly simplifying production and reducing cost. 'I'he two halves 9 and III have half round shanks II and I2 which when the two halves are placed togeier end to end, as in -55 Fig. 6, form a bearing I3 for th drive shaft I4. Half round recesses I5 formedin the abutting ends of the two halves 9 and I 0 provide a circular chamber in the head 3 for the drive pinion I6 connected to the enlarged uted end I1 of `00 the shaft I4. 'Ihe two halves 9 and I0 of the head may, if desired, have the shank portions II and I2 thereof lft blank in the die casting of these parts, so that the two halves can be identical, and then later when the two halves are suitably held in assembled relation, the shank portions can be threaded to thread in the internally threaded enlarged upper end I8 of the handle I9 or the corresponding part I Ba on the end of the housing of motor 20, whereby to se- 70 cure the two halves. of the head together. At the same time that the shank portions I I and I2 are threaded, .the bearing I3 can, if desired, be reamed to insure a good t for the shaft I4 therein. "I'h'e` latter, it will be noted, extends 'A15 through the hollow handle I9 and in the case of a flexible shaft drive, will be suitably coupled at the outer end of the handle to the flexible shaft, the casing of which will be attached to the handle. However, in the case of adrect motor drive, the shaft I4 can be regarded as the armature shaft of the motor, or the shaft coupled directly to the armature shaft. The head 8 has guards 2I and 22 on opposite sides thereof provided by a series of laterally spaced prongs similar to what are provided on the conventional Gillette safety razor. half of the head has ve of these prongs on one side and six on the other and that the sixth prong necessitates the small shoulder 23 on the end of each half, which, however, is not at all objectionable, but is really an advantage from the standpoint of interlocking the twoAhalves of the head more firmly in assembled relation and securing better alignment between the halves. The head is recessed longitudinally on opposite sides, as at 24, adjacent the guards 2I and 22 to provide spaces for the two elongated rotary cutters 25 and 26. 'Ihese are helically grooved similarly as twist drills and will b e manufactured in much the same manner and consequently will be available at low cost. ion and meshes directly with the cutters 25 and 26, as indicated clearly in Figs. 2 and 5. With the pinion turning in a counter-clockwise dlrection, as shown by the dotted arrow in Fig. 2, the cutters 25 and 26 turn in opposite directions, toward the adjacent cutting edges of the associated blade, as indicated by the small arrows in Fig. 5. The fact that the drive is-a helical gear drive manifestly makes f smooth, quiet operai,-l tion even though the pinion cannot voperatewith lubricant, for obvious reasons. The razor is also well balanced with rotary cutters placed onopposite sides of the handle axis, and this arrangement also means reduced vibration because there is balanced drive thrust on opposite sides of the The pinion' I6 is a helical pin-i It will be noticed that each pinion drive shaft. 'I'he opposite ends of the cutters 25 and 26 are reduced to provide coaxial journals 21 that are; lreceived in bearings ,28 formed on the ends of' the head as integral parts of the halves 9 and Il thereof. It is obvious that in the assembling ofthe razor, the cutters 25 and 26 will be assembled in the one half of the head in meshing engagement with the pinion I6 also assembled in that half, and then the other half of the held ywill bebrought into position thus encasing the working parts in the head in proper assembled relation, whereupon the handle I9 or motor 20, as the case may be, will be attached to the head, securing the two halves thereof together. Obviously if either or both of the cutters 25 and 26 should require replacement at any time due to wear, it is a simple matter for the userA or a service man to disassemble the razor, substitute new cutters, and reassemble the razor.

'I'he blade 29 is a conventional Gillette safety razor blade havinlg 'the two cutting ges 30 and 3| adapted :to cooperate wi'th the ou ters 25 and 26, respectively, the latter being located so that when .the bladeis clamped down and is there/by arched slightly its edge portions will come directly over tlhe centers ofthe cutters and be substantially tangent to Ithe peripheries thereof, as indicated by the fact-that the 'li'nes a-b an'd c-d drawn from .the center of 'the arc of the'blade through the centers of the cutters intersect the cutting edges 3Il and 3| (see Fig. 5). The edges 30 and -3I are double bevel edges, and the bottom bevel of each edge wil-l permit adjusting' the eries of the cutters ymore s-o than with the ordin-ary the bla-de is used cutting edges ofthe blade,

bla'de so tha't Ithe edges have the requisite small working clearances with respect to the periphfor good shearing action. Ait the same time, since the cap 32 has its arcuate top surface 33 on the same arc with the top surfaces 34 of 'the guards 2| and 22, providin'g for the same, or substantially .the same, clearance with respect to the cutting edges and 3| as in the conventional Gillette safety razor, it follows that the present razor, although power operated, will be capable of shaving just as closely as the conventional hand power Gillette safety razor operated the old Way, and with the same degree of safety as well as the same degree of handiness and yfacility of operation. portant difference, however, in the operation of this razor, aside, of course, from the fact that it enables dry or "we shaving, as preferred, is the freedom from pulling, regardless of the fact that the blade 29 may not be -a new sharp blade. The stubby hair comin-g into .the path of the cutting edge 38 or 3|, at the crown of the ridge of skin, in accordance with the Gillette principle, and, as illustrated at H in the enlarged sectional view, Fig. 8, is in accordance with the novel principle of our` invention, sheared oi by being worked against the cutting edge by the associated cutter 25 or 26, and the hair is cut 01T squarely and without discomfort to the operator, because the cutting action d-oes not depend upon the movement of :the razor by hand against the hair as in the old conventional hand power Gillette razor, but, instead, the power-operated cutter cooperating with the blade does the work. It is manifest tha-t the operation of this razor will be just as speedy, if not speedier, than the hand-operated type, because in one stroke of 'th-e blade and cutter over a given area, all of the beard in the path of the blade will be sha-ved oi. In other words, there will usually |be no necessity for going over :the same area more than once, any Gillette safety The fact that the en-tire cutting edge of instead of having to workthe hair through fine slots to get them into the path of the cutter makes the shaving action with this razor'so much quicker and more positive than with the razors with the reciprocating type cutters and is :the thing which makes the razor good for wet or dry shaving. Incidentally, the use of the cultting edge of the razor blade,a;s distinguished from 'the use of a slotted or perforated guard or head on the clipper type razors, permits as close shaving as the operator desires, because there is no limitation inherent in -th-e construction of the razor, such as the :thickness of the intervening wall of the guard or head; It is also qui'te an advantage for the user to be in a position to replace the blade 28 af-ter a reason-able amount of service when he will probably vexperience better and smoother operation with a new blade because of the sharper' edges. However, due to the novel shearing action obtained with the power-operated' cutters 25l and 26, i't is obvious that keenfcuttingA edges von the yblade vare not so essential as in the ordinary hand power safety razor. Then, too, the rotating helical cutters `will have a distinct assuring long life. `In passing,` attentionjis also that .the rotary'cutters `25 and 26 are exposed very little between the @guards the edgesv of the vblade between the cutter and the edge of the blade,

honing effect on the directed to the fact 2| and 22 and k29 so thatl there isfr'ioy danger of'rthe operator getting the flesh pinched l tion in which the cap bearing in mind the fact 'that Fig. 5,61-ike the other j views, wi-th the exception of Fig. 8, shows the razor about twice its actual size. Fig. 8 clearly illustrates that :there is no danger of cutting or pinching the skin, inasmuch as the -sk-in is bul-ged, as at H, only enough Ito barely reach 'the skin engaging side of the blade's cutting edge portion, and since the rotary cutter is on the opposite side of said cutting edge portion, it cannot possibly pinch or clip the skin, although it is close enough to the `crown of the ridge of skin to give a close shave. If the operator merely exercises ordinary care equivalent to the care he would exercise with the conventional hand power safety razor, there is no Vdanger 'of his cutting himself with this razor.

The cap 32 is generally similar to the bladeclamping cap on the ordinary Gillette safety razor, and has a longitudinal rib 35 extending along the middle of the bottom thereof which fits in the slot 36 in the blade and the slot 31 in the head 8 so as to accurately locate the blade 29 with respect to the head at the same time that it is clamped in place. There are two studs 38 and 39 projecting downwardly from the cap 32 near its opposite ends, and these pass through holes 40 in the blade at opposite ends of the slot 36, and then through holes 4| in the head 8 to receive knurled nuts 42 and 43 arranged to be tightened up against the at bottom of the head in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 4. Realizing the importance of correct clearance between the edges 38 and 3| of the blade 29 and the cutters 25 and 26, and also the importance of avoiding having the tightly clamped blade bearing too heavily on the cutters, or either of them, and acting V as a brake, we provide four adjustingscrews 44-41 in the vertical holes 44h-41' in the head 8 in the vicinity of the four corners of the blade 29 arranged to be adjusted up and down in these holes to provide adjustable seats `for the blade at the four corners so that, regardless of minor variations in the manufactureof the head or in the cutters 25 and 26, it will be possible to align both ends of each cutting edge in the proper relation to the associated cutter and thereby obtain good shaving action by reason of the uniform operating clearance between the cutting edge and rotary cutter from end to end. When all of the screws have been adjusted, it is apparent that there will be suicient spring in the cap 32 for it to seat the blade firmly on the ends of all of the screws when the nuts 42 and 43 are properly tightened. These screws 44-41 when once properly .adjusted at the factory should not require subsequent readjustment so long as the razor is not taken apart', excepting,` of course,

ends of the screws oc'- A l tight clamping of "the for'the wear and re-establish the correct :close ofthe blade on'v the cutj thereof, especially when; n the blade is clamped tightly; In such casesV a slight adjustment ofthe screws will compensate` working 'clearance sothat the razor will run'freei ly and'shavev properly and the blade may be clamped tightly. is a fairlyfsimple' average mechanical culty in makingthe adjustment.`

matter, so that'a person of The adjustment of these screws ,.70 ability should have'no f F1g.7 shows a modified or alternative c onstri'ic-v 25 and 26 in the manner indicated by the cooperation of the cutting edge 3|' with the cutter 26. This cap will seat directly on the screws 44-41 and be 'clamped in the same manner as 5 the cap 32. The adjustment of the screws "-41 at the four corners of the cap will insure uniform clearance vbetween the cutting edges on the cap and the peripheries of the cutters 25 and 26 in much the same way as in the other construction. With this construction, the cap 32' will, of course, be madevof steel of fairly good quality so `as tof provide fairly durable cutting edges. These caps if made in large quantities would be available at a low enough cost to make l5 their replacement at less frequent intervals than in the case of the blades 29, feasible, even though the cap 32' would cost several times what one of the blades 29 does. 'I'he operation with this construction would obviously be practically the same as with the other construction.

In conclusion, attention is called to Fig. 8 in connection with which the operation of the razor of our invention will now be explained in greater detail. Section m-n-o-p shows a greatly enlarged section of human skin being shaved by the razor tilted forward in the' direction of the shaving motion indicated by the arrow, so that the axis K-M of the drive shaft I4 (also of the handle I9, or motor 20) is inclined at the angle 90 shown, about 36 degrees, to the line J-E per-V pendicular to the plane X-X of the outside surface m-n of the skin. The normal amount of pressure exerted by the operators hand on the handle I9 (or motor 20) during the shaving operation causes the portions of the cap 32 and of the guard prongs 2| contacting with the surface m-n of the skin to be impressed into the skin an appreciable amount below the level of plane X-X as shown. This is, of course, true the full length of the cap 32 and guard 2l. The'bulge or ridge H of skin formed parallel to the cap and guard, as well as cutting edge 30 and cutter 25, has a lateral width at the base extending from point A on cap 32 to point B on the guard 2|, the ridge H being continuously and progressively formed as described in the motion of the razor in the direction C. Such a ridge is, of course, likewise formed if the razor is held motionless in a similar position in contact with the skin. Ob-

A A viously, shaving of the beard on the skin surface m-n can take place only on the crown of the ridge H, as the latter is presented in the relation shown tothe cutting edge 30 of blade 29 and the I teeth of cutter 25 cooperating with edge 30. The

5 5 closeness of the shave is dependent upon the nearness of the crown of the ridge H to the cutting edge 30 and the teeth of cutter 25, so that Y for' close shaving the crown of ridge H will be in contact with the cutting edge 30, which the 00 operator learns by trial to secure by modifying the pressure on the razor handle. The hairs h-I h-2, and fL-S of the beard lying in a line in the section m p are shown as having been shaved off iiush with the surface m-n of the 65 skin, and hair h-l on the forward slope of the ridge H is seen in the process of being .sheared on' between the cutting edge 30 of blade 29 and -one of the helical teeth of cutter 25, while other hairs h-5 and h-G are seen between two of the 70 prongs of guard 2| in the path of motion of the razor about to appear upon similar ridges as ridge H to be sheared oil'. Other hairs not shown, lying directly inthe path of the individual prongs of the guard 2|, are not in the path of the spaces 7l between the prongs as occurred in the case of hairs h-5 and h-B shown here, are pressed downwardly into the surface m-n of the skin momentarily, but spring erect once more after passing point B within the small space between the point B and the cutting edge 30 of blade 29, 5 to be similarly presented to cutting edge 30 on similar ridges as ridge H and to be shaved off in the same manner as hairs L-I, h 2, and 11-3 as the razor moves forward in the direction C. In the razor of our invention, the cutting 10 edge 30 of blade 29 is located in the plane X-X a predetermined appreciable distance above the plane Y-Y tangent to the points A and B, so that the cutting edge 30 barely contacts in a tangential relation with the forward sloping side l5 of the ridge H of the skin only when the operator shaves as closely as possible, and there is therefore no danger of gouging or cutting into the ridge `H of skin. In the present razor, the rotary cutter 25 cooperates with the cutting edge 2o 30 of blade 29 in such manner that the safety feature, heretofore found only in the hand power safety razors of the' Gillette type employing only the razor blade similar to blade 29, is maintained unimpaired, while at the same time permitting 25 dry and wet shaving, and making for' greater comfort and eiliciency in shaving than was possible hitherto when shaving with the razor blade alone. In this connection we would point out that the critical dimensions, namely, the space 30 between the points A and B, and the space between point B and the cutting edge 30 correspond to the dimensions on the hand power Gillette safety razors, the correctness of which has been demonstrated by years of practical experience, 35 and we considerit an important feature of our invention that it enables power operation as herein disclosed without necessitating any change in these all important critical dimensions. The peripheries of the teeth of cutter 25 con- 40 tacting with the cutting edge 30 of blade 29 (or having a minute clearance therebetween, as elected), and adapted to shear off the hairs of the beard appearing upon the ridge H by working them against the cutting edge 30, which are 45 seen as a circle in this view, are tangent to the forward slope of the ridge at the same point as the cutting edge 30, so that it is obviously true that if the cutting edge 30 cannot gouge or cut into the ridge H, neither can the teeth of the cut- 50 ter 25 cooperating with edge :ill do so. The hairs cut oil' in dry shaving will be thrown out by the cutters through the spaces between the prongs of the guards. In wet shaving, the lather works out between the prongs similarly as on the hand power Gillette razors. 'Ihe fact that the spaces between the Aprongsexpose about half of the periphery-of the cutters, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, is of advantage both for clearing out ac-l cumulations easily and for keeping the cutters operating cool.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of our invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications an adaptations'.

1. A safety razor comprising avhandle carrying a head adapted to support a blade, a blade mounted thereon having a straight cutting edge, a clamp for holding the blade in operative position on the head, -a guard on said head in front of the blades cutting edge serving with the clamp to guide and gauge the same in operation over the skin contactedby the lclamp and guard, anv

elongated rotary cutter disposed longitudinally under the blade and behind the guard in close hair shearing relationship to said cutting edge, said clamp being arranged to move the blade toward the head and cutter and hold it in operative relation thereto, screw threaded adjustments under^opposite ends of the blade adjacent the cutting edge independently adjustable for adjusting the blade away from the head and cutter and into parallel relation to the cutter and to an adjustable clearance relationship` therewith, and

means for driving said cutter.

2. A Gillette type safety razor comprising a handle carrying a head adapted to support a blade, a blade mounted thereon having opposed parallel straight cutting edges, a blade holddown clamp member over said blade having smooth top surfaces spaced to the rear of and above the two cutting edges, and guards on said head in front of the cutting edges each having a smooth top surface which in slidably contacting the skin being operated over by the cutting edge cooperates with the related surface on the clamp member similarly contacting the skin to guide and gauge the operation of said cutting edge, an 'elongated rotary cutter for each cutting edge disposed longitudinally under the blade and behind the guard in close hair shearing relationship to the associated cutting. edge, said clamp member being arranged to move the blade toward the head and cutters and hold it in operative relation thereto, screw threaded adjustments under opposite ends of the blade adjacent the two cutting edges, said adjustments being adjustable independently of one another for adjusting both edge portions of the blade away from the head and cutters and into parallel relation to the cutters and to an adjustable clearance relationship therewith, and means for driving said cutters.

3. In combination, a safety razor head having `opposite longitudinal edges formed to provide guard portions for contact in front of the cutting edge with the skin being shaved, a blade having opposed longitudinal straight cutting edges and mounted on the head with said edges in spaced posterior relation to said guard portions, two elongated helically grooved rotary cutters in parallel relation in longitudinal recesses provided therefor in said guard portions for operation under the cutting edges of said blade -in close hair shearing relation thereto, and a single helical drive pinion of a diameter nearly equal to the widthr of the blade from one cutting edge to the other and disposed beneath and substantially parallel to the blade between and meshed with both cutters to turn the same in opposite directions toward the blades cutting edges.

4. In combination, a safety razor head hauing opposite longitudinal edges formed to provide guard portions for contact in front of the `cutting edge with the skin being shaved, a blade having opposed longitudinal straight cutting edges and mounted on the head with said edges in spaced posterior relation to said guard portions, two elongated rotary cutters in parallel relation in longitudinal recesses provided therefor in said guard portions for operation under the cutting edgesA of said blade in close hair shearing relation thereto, both of said cutters being helically grooved, a single .power-operated helical plnlonof a diameter nearly equal to the Width of the blade from one cutting edge to the other and disposed beneath and substantially parallel to the blade between and meshing with the helically grooved cutters for driving the same in ropposite directions so as to turn toward the associated cutting edges, a hollow handle for supporting and moving the head extending therefrom in concentric relation to said pinion, and a drive shaft extending from said pinion into said handle.

5. In combination, a safety razor head having opposite longitudinal edges formed to provide guard portions for contact in front of the cutting edge with the skin being shaved, a demountable blade having opposed longitudinal straight cutting edges and mounted on the head with said edges in spaced posterior relation to said guard portions, blade clamping means, two elongated rotary cutters in parallel relation in longitudinal recesses provided therefor in said guard portions for operation under the cutting edges of said blade in close hair shearing relation thereto, said blade clamping means being arranged to move the blade toward the head and cutters and hold it in operative relation thereto, four adjustable screws providing elevated adjustable blade seats on the head under the four corners of the blade, one at each end of a cutting edge, for adjusting the cutting edge portions independently of one another away from the head and cutters to substantially parallel relation to the associated cutters and to an adjustable clearance relationship therewith, and means for driving said cutters. A

6. In combination, a Gillette type safety razor body adapted to support a straight double edged removable and replaceable blade, and separate guards on the body for the two edges of the blade, two elongated rotary helically grooved cutters in parallel relation on said body in longitudinal recesses provided therefor in the guards for hair shearing action with the edges of a blade removably mounted on said body, and a single helical drive pinion disposed between and meshed with said cutters to turn the same in opposite directions toward the blades cutting edges.

'7. In combination, a Gillette `type safety razor body adapted to support a straight double edged removable and replaceable blade, and separate guards on the body for the two edges of the blade, two elongated rotary `cutters in parallel relation on said body in longitudinal recesses provided therefor in the guards fo!I hair shearing action with the edges of a blade removably mounted on said body, both of said cutters being helically grooved, single power operated helical pinion between and meshing with the helically grooved cutters for driving the same in opposite directions so as to turn toward the associated cutting edges, a hollow handle for supporting and moving the head extending therefrom in concentric relation to said pinion, and a drive shaft extending from said pinion into said handle.

8. In combination, a Gillette type safety razor body adapted to support a straight double edged removable and replaceable blade, a blade holder on said body, and separate guards on the body for the two edges of the blade, two elongated rotary cutters in parallel relation on said body in longitudinal recesses provided therefor lin the guards for hair shearing action with the edges of a blade removably mounted on said body, said blade holder being arranged to move the blade toward the head and cutters and hold it in operative relation thereto, four screws threadedly mounted in said body for detachable engagement with the bottom of a blade at the four corners thereof, one at each end of a cutting edge, whereby to adjust the blade away from the head and cutters to substantially parallel relation to the cutters and to an adjustable clearance relationship therewith, and means for driving the cutters.

9. A razor comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular head having a centrally located handle projecting therefrom substantially at right angles to the bottom of the head, a rectangular blade being adapted to be placed on top of said head and held in register therewith with opposed straight cutting edges in parallel relation to guard portions provided on opposite sides of said head, a pair of parallel helically grooved rollers on said head adjacent said guard portions and parallel thereto and with the cutting edges of a blade when placed thereover, a helical gear rotatable in a recess provided in the center of said head substantially concentric with the handle, said gear disposed in the plane of said head in direct meshing engagement with said `helically grooved rollers, and a driven "shaft extending from the center of said gear into said handle for connection with a motive means.

10. A power-operated safety razor comprising a helical gear, a drive shaft therefor, two helically grooved gear-like rollers meshing therewith on diametrically opposite sides in substantially parallel relation, each having coaxial journals extending from opposite ends thereof, a two-piece head to encase and support said gear and rollers, each head piece having a pair of bearing portions to receive the journals on one end of said rollers and having a half-round recess provided therein at the middle of one side to receive one half of said gear and a half round bearing recess in concentric relation to the gear recess to engage said Vshaft from one side, whereby when the two pieces are positioned in abutment with their recesses in register the journals on said rollers are supported in their bearings and the shaft in its sectional bearing and the gear meshing with the rollers and disposed in a chamber formed by the mating recesses in the two pieces, means for securing said head pieces together with the other elements disposed therein as recited, and `means for mounting a blade on said head in operative relation to said rollers.

11. A power operated safety razor comprising a handle carrying a head adapted to support a blade, a thin wafer-like blade mounted thereon having opposed parallel straight cutting edges, a. clamp member superimposed on the blade having opposed edgesin spaced relation to the cutting edges of the blade and holding the blade on the head, skin engaging guards on opposite sides of the head in front of and spaced from the cutting edges of the blade, gauge means for gauging the height and width of an elongated ridge of skin formed when the razor is operatively disposed with either of the cutting edges of the blade in normal shaving relation to the skin of a. face to be shaved, said gauge means being provided on said clamp member and guards at a predetermined elevation and fore and aft spaced relationship with reference to the cutting edges of the blade so that the blade is disposed with the skin-engaging side of either cutting edge portion in operative engagement with the crown of the elongated ridge of skin bulged toward the blade from said gauge means, an elongated helically grooved rotary cutter associated with each cutting edge of the blade disposed in tangent relation to the opposite side o1' the cutting edge portion of the blade and substantially entirely within the associated guard in parallel close hair shearing relationship to the blade cutting edge, a single intermediate helical drive pinion centrally mounted in a recess in the head and meshing with said cutters, the aforesaid handle being hollow, and a drive shaft extending through said handle to the pinion driving the same so as to turn the two cutters inthe direction of the associated cutting edges.

12. A power operated safety razor comprising a head adapted to support a blade, a thin Waferlike blade mounted thereon having a straight cutting edge, a clamp member superimposed on the blade in spaced relation to the cutting edge holding the blade in operating position on the head, a skin engaging guard on said head in front of and spaced from the cutting edge, gauge means for gauging the height and width of an elongated ridge of skin formed when the razor is operatively disposed in normal shaving relation to the skin of a face to be shaved, said gauge means being provided on said clamp and guard at aipredetermined elevation and fore and aft spaced relationship with reference to the cutting edge so that the latter is disposed with the skin-engaging side of its cutting edge portion in operative engagement with the crown of the elongated ridge of skin bulged toward the blade from said gauge means, an elongated longitudinally grooved rotary cutter of a small diameter which is a smallfraction of the width of the blade and disposed in tangent relation to the opposite side of the cutting edge portion of the blade and substantially entirely within the guard in parallel close hair shearing relationship to said cutting edge, means for driving said cutter to turn toward said cutting edge, and adjusting screws threaded in the head under opposite ends of the blade adjacent the cutting edge and adjustable independently of one another to space the blade with respect to the head with its cutting edge in exact parallelism with the periphery of the cutter and so as to permit clamping the blade with the clamp member without causing the blade to press against the cutter as a brake.

13. A power operated safety razor comprising a handle carrying a head adapted to support a blade, a. thin wafer-like blade mounted thereon having opposed parallel straight cutting edges, a clamp member superimposed on the blade having opposed edges in spaced relation to the cutting edges of the blade and holding the blade on the head, skin engaging guards on opposite sides of the head in front of .and spaced from the cutting edges of the blade, gauge means for gauging the height and width of an elongated ridge of skin formed when the razor is operatively disposed with either of the cutting edges of the blade in normal shaving relation to the skin of a face to be shaved, said gauge means being prd'vided on said clamp member and guards at a predetermined elevation and fore and aft spaced relationship with reference to the cutting edges' of the blade so that the blade is disposed with the skin-engaging side of either cutting edge portion in operative engagement with the crown of the elongated ridge of skin bulged toward the blade from said gauge means, an elongated helically grooved rotary cutter associated with each cutting edge of the blade disposed in' tangent portion of the blade and substantially entirely 'ciated cutting edges, and two screws associated with each cutting edge of the blade adjustably threaded in the head under opposite ends of the blade adjacent the cutting edge associated therewith, said screws adjustable independently l of one another to space the blade with respect to the head with its cutting edges in exact parallelism with the periphery ofthe cutters and so as to permit clamping the blade with the clamp member without causing the blade to press against the cutters as a brake.

14. A power-operated shaver comprising, in combination, a handle carrying a blade supporting head, said head having a guard portion on one of its longitudinal edges and having a longitudinal cutter receiving recess providedl therein parallel to and adjacent said guard portion, a thin exible blade on said head providing a cutting edge portion overhanging said recess, a rotary cutter in said recess, drive means therefor, and clamp means on said head for flexing said blade with respect to the head so that the cutting edge portion is held in hair shearing relation to saidcutter, said rotary cutter being positioned spaced below the common plane of face contacting surfaces of said guard and clamp means, the the shaving operation lying approximately tangent to the ridge of a rounded elongated bulge of skin formed by the device on the face, similarly as in wet shaving with a Gillette safety razor, whereby to keep the skin clear of the rotary cutter While permitting shearing off hair therefrom close to the surface of the skin.

15. A power-operated shaver comprising, in combination, a handle carrying a blade supporting head, said head having guard portions on its opposed parallel longitudinal edges and having longitudinal cutter receiving recesses provided therein parallel to and adjacent said guard portions, a thin flexible blade on said head providing opposed cutting edge portions overhanging both of said recesses, a rotary cutter in each recess having helical grooves therein for shearing and driving purposes, said head having a central recess provided therein concentricwith the handle and communicating at diametrically opposite sides with the cutter receiving recesses, a helical drive pinion in said recess in substantially parallel relation with the blade and having direct meshing engagement in the helical grooves in said cutters to drive the same in opposite directions, means for driving said pinion extending through the handle, and clamp means on said head for flexing said blade so that the cutting edge portions thereof are held in hair shearing relation to said cutters, said clamp means and either of said guard portions cooperating by engagement with the face of the operator in shaving to space the cutting edge portions of the blade from the face so as to lie approximately tangent to the ridge of a rounded elongated bulge. of skin formed by the device on the face, similarly as in wet shaving with a Gillette safety razor, whereby to keep the skin clear of the rotary cutter while permitting shearthe cutting edge portion of said blade in ing off hair therefrom close to the surface of the skin.

16. A power-operated safety razor comprising a helical gear, a drive shaft therefor, a helically grooved gear-like roller meshing with said gear having coaxial journals extending from opposite ends thereof, a two-piece head to encase and support said gear and roller, each head piece having a bearing portion to receive the.v journal on one end of said roller and having a halfround recess provided therein at the 'middle of 'y one side to receive one half of said gear and.

a half round bearing recess in concentric rela-'.,f,

tion to the gear recess to engage said shaft fromvs.

one side, whereby when the twopieces are positioned in abutment with their recesses in register the journals on said roller are supported in rtheir bearings and the shaft in its sectional bearing and the gear meshing with the roller .and disposed in a chamber formed by therk mating recesses in the two pieces, means for securing said head pieces together with the other elements disposed therein as recited, and means for mounting a blade on said head in operative rela,- tion to said roller.

17. As an article of manufacture, a Gillette type safety razor head of two-piece construction divided transversely through the middle in a plane at right angle to the plane of the head, each piece comprising a substantially rectangular head portion and half-round shank portion projecting at right angles from one end thereof, the shank portion having a concentric halfround bearing recess formed therein extending lengthwise thereof adapted to accommodate a drive shaft, the head portion having a halfround recess provided in the end thereof concentric with the half-round bearing recess adapted to accommodate a helical drive pinion on the aforesaid drive shaft, the head portion being further formed on one side thereof to provide rav longitudinal recess at right angles to the aforesaid bearing recess and communicating with one side of the pinion recess in the head portion and adapted to accommodatea helically grooved cutter meshed with Ithe drive pinion.

18. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim. 17, wherein each of the head pieces has the head portion thereof further formed to provide at the end of the longitudinal cutter recess a bearing .opening substantially concentric with the recess and adapted to receive one of the bearing journals on the ends of the cutter adapted to operate in the recess.

19. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 17, wherein the two head pieces when placed end to end dene with the two half-round shank portions a cylindrical shank, and wherein said shank portions are externally threaded so as to be adapted to be threadedly received in an internally threaded member for fastening together said head pieces.

20. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 17, wherein the head pieces have the head portionsthereof further formed to provide screw threaded holes therein substantially at right angles to the plane of the head portions alongside the longitudinal cutter recess and adapted to receive adjusting screws adapted to project from the top of the head portions to serve as adjustable blade seats on the head portions.

21. An article of manufacture as setA forth in claim 17, wherein each of the head pieces is further formed to provide two parallel shoulders on the end of the head portion adjacent the pinion recess at right angles to the plane of the head portion and spaced equidistant from the center of the bearing recess, the one shoulder being defined by alcut-away portion on one side of the head and the other shoulder being dened by a projecting portion on the other side of the head, the cut-away and projecting portions both having faces parallel with the end of the head portion and with the flat side of the half-round shank portion.

' 22. In combination, a safety razor head having opposite longitudinal edges formed to provide guard portions for contact in front of the cutting edge with the skin being shaved, a blade having opposed longitudinal straight cutting edges and mounted on the head with said edges in spaced posterior relation to said guard portions, an elongated helically grooved rotary cutter in a longitudinal recess provided .therefor in one of said guard portions for operation under the adjacent cutting edge of the blade in close hair shearing relation thereto, and a helical drive pinion of a diameter slightly smaller than the Width of the blade from one cutting edge to the other and disposed beneath and substantially parallel to the blade and meshed with said cutter to turn the same toward the cutting edge of the blade.

23.l A razor comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular head having a handle projecting therefrom substantially at right angles to the bottom of the head, said head having a guard portion provided on at least one of its longitudinal edges, a rectangular blade adapted to be placed on top of said head and held in reg,- ister therewith with-a longitudinal straight cutting edge in parallel relation to said guard portion, a helically grooved roller on Said head adjacent said guard portion and parallel thereto and in hair shearing relation with the adjacent cutting edge of a blade, when placed thereover, said roller being positioned spaced below the plane of theface contacting surface of said guard portion, a helical gear rotatable in a recess provided in said head substantially concentric" with the handle,said gear disposed in said head in direct meshing engagement with the helically grooved roller, said gear and roller being in a plane substantially parallel to the general plane of the blade, and a driven shaft extending from the center of said gear into said handle for connection with a motive means.

24. A power-operated shaver comprising, in

combination, a handle carrying a blade supporting head, said head havinga guard portion on to the head so that thelcutting edge portion is.

held in hair shearing relation to said cutter, saidrotary cutter being positioned spaced below the common plane of the face contacting surfaces of said guard and blade-holding means, the cutting edge -portion of said blade in the shaving operation lying approximately tangent to the ridge of a rounded elongated bulge of skin formed by the devic'evon' the face, similarly as in wet shaving with a Gillette safety razor, whereby to keep the skin clear of the rotary cutter while permitting shearing oil.' hair therefrom close to the surface of the skin. I

25. A power-operated shaver comprising, in combination, a handle carrying a blade supporting head, said head having a face contacting guard portion on one of its longitudinal edges and having a longitudinal cutter receiving recess provided therein parallel to and adjacent -said guard portion, a blade on said head providing a cutting edge portion overhanging said recess, means on said head providing a face con tacting portion in posterior relation to the cutting edge portion of said blade and in a common plane with the face 'contacting guard portion,l which plane is spaced above the cutting edge' portion of the blade, a rotary cutter in said recess, drive means therefor, and means for detachably securing said blade on the head with the cutting edge portion held in hair shearing relation to said cutter, said rotary cutter Vbeing positioned spaced below the common plane of the aforesaid face contacting portions, the cutting edge portion of said blade in -the shaving operation lying approximately tangent to the ridge of a rounded elongated bulge of skin formed by engagement of the devicewith the face, similarly as in wet shaving with a Gillette safety razor, whereby to keep the'skin clear of the rotary cutter while permitting shearing 'ci hair therefrom close to the surface of the skin. 

